DFDS Seaways:

The two new Ro-Ro ships being built at P + S Werften in Stralsund, will not be finished on time. The first of the two ships, Ark Germania, will now be delivered in January 2014 instead of the fourth quarter of 2013. The second of the two new ships, Newbuilding 501, is now expected to be delivered in April 2014 instead of the first quarter of 2014. The company has also bareboat chartered Grimaldi’s 25,993gt/2007 built Coraggio. Renamed the Athena Seaways, the ship will support her sister Energia, already operating for DFDS as the Energia Seaways.

Fjord Line:

Work on the reconstruction of the 16,794gt/1993 built Bergensfjord (above) that Fjord Line plan to use on the Sandefjord-Strømstad route is well underway at the STX shipyard in Rauma, Finland. The modules needed to give the ship a facelift are being pre-fabricated ahead of the ship’s arrival. Interestingly the latest artist’s impression of the ferry shows her as less “streamlined” than the original plan.
LD Lines: From 5th January a new Gijón-Poole- Gijón service commenced and two days later a new Gijón-Rosslare- Gijón service started, sailing via St. Nazaire in each direction to interlink with LD Lines’ existing Gijón-St. Nazaire service. The sailings are operated by the Norman Asturias and the Scintu.

P&O North Sea:

The Zeebrugge service was disrupted on 30th November when the lock gates failed at the Port of Hull, trapping the Zeebrugge ferry in port. Services were further delayed on 5th December when adverse weather forced the lock gates to be closed 1730-2200. Scandlines and STX have not completed the process for finalising the order for the two new double ended ferries for Rostock-Gedser. Finnish press reports state that the STX financial problems may be contributing, but both parties say they are committed to finding a solution.

TransEuropa Ferries: The 26,433gt/ 1987 built former P&O Ferries Chunnel Beater Ostend Spirit (built as Pride of Calais) was put ashore at Aliaga in Turkey at around midday on 13th November. She was beached on the second attempt at a speed of 19 knots and is now being cut up as seen above.